


Greatest Measure of Courage

by Kellyscams



Series: I'm On the Hunt [3]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 04:51:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18514267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kellyscams/pseuds/Kellyscams
Summary: It's an accident, really. Bucky doesn't mean to say anything about marriage to Steve. They've never spoken about it. Bucky has no idea if Steve would ever, given their past, especially. But one slip of the tongue may very well lead to the best thing he's ever accidentally done.





	Greatest Measure of Courage

It’s an accident. Truly, one hundred percent an accident. Accident or not, it’s left Steve standing at the other end of the table just staring at Bucky as though he'd sprouted a second head and the longer Bucky goes on not correcting this -- not doing _anything_ other than staring wide-eyed back at Steve, shocked as he is -- the worse this silence between them gets. 

Paris gleams outside. A cold, snowy evening--the Eiffel Tower glistening with friendly snowflakes. Inside, Bucky’s sure his shirt has begun strangling him. 

Dinner had gone wonderfully tonight. Thanks to wonderful home cooking sites, Bucky’s learned a thing or two in the kitchen. He’d made one of Steve’s favorites with all the best ingredients. Broiled herb-crusted salmon with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus on the side. Bucky’d gotten a great bottle of Pinot Noir to go with it. A great year, too. 

There hadn’t been any particular reason for the dinner. Bucky just wanted to do it. Mostly because, well, just under two years of reconnecting with the guy whose heart he broke is nothing compared to the eleven years they’d been separated for, even if Steve rarely brings it up anymore. It’s just, whenever Bucky looks at Steve ever since moving to Paris to be with him, he can’t believe how lucky he is that Steve’s even _given_ him this chance. 

Even though Steve had come in, took one look at the table all nicely set and smelled the food cooking and gave Bucky a funny, suspicious expression. 

“Okay,” he’d said. “What’d you do?” 

“What!?” Bucky exclaimed. “Nothing!” He looked around, searching around for some reason that Steve might’ve suspected something. “I didn’t do anything! I swear!”

Steve cracked up then, his face crinkling with his smile, and bounded over to where Bucky was standing. He took Bucky’s face in his hands to plant a kiss. Steve kept his hold on Bucky even after the kiss, that big smile on his face and looked at him like he couldn’t get enough of him. 

“God, you’re adorable, Bucky.” He chuckled. Steve added another peck. “And I love you for it.” 

Trying to win Steve’s heart again has been both the most amazing experience and most difficult journey Bucky’s ever had to take in his life. Nothing’s been easy and yet somehow, it’s been a breeze. Just as Steve promised, he hasn’t _made_ it easy. 

Little by little, Bucky’s earned his way back into all those places he used to have unlimited access to. Steve’s heart. Steve’s mind. Steve’s soul. Most importantly, Steve’s trust. That one, Bucky’s still worried will take years to mend. But he’s been trying. Bucky’s spent the past two years with a needle and thread to sew together what he ripped apart. 

Not everything has been perfect, of course. They’ve had their ups and down. More ups than downs, in Bucky’s opinion. But they’ve fought in their struggle to make heads and tails of their new relationship. Sometimes really badly. Sometimes so badly that Bucky isn’t sure what to do about it or if he’s even the one at fault. Given their past, Bucky normally assumes it’s always him. But Steve… Steve really is a better man than Bucky could ever give him credit for. 

“Oh, _god_ , Bucky,” Steve murmured when he told him this just a few months after moving to Paris with him. “No. No, it’s…” He sighed and rested his brow on Bucky’s shoulder. “I don’t blame you for everything. Yeah, I’m still trying to figure this all out, yeah, but… what happens between us _now_ is in the present. The past has nothing to do with that.” 

“Steve…” Bucky breathed. Cupped the back of his head and nuzzled against him. “Is it okay if I tell you I love you?”

He hadn’t again. Not since that day Steve showed up at his office at Stark Industries to proclaim his anger for him and ended up asking him to come to Paris. 

That day, though, Steve lifted his head. A small grin curved up at the corners of his mouth. His eyes shined. 

“It couldn’t hurt.”

Bucky snickered and kissed his brow. “I love you.”

Steve hadn’t said it back that day. It took a little longer than that, but one warm, random spring day, of the clear blue while they were taking a walk through the park and Bucky was telling Steve a story about a trip to Spain he once took, he just said it. Just like that. Soft and gentle. A simple: _I love you_. 

Whatever Bucky’d been in the middle of saying vanished from his mind. He’d gasped and turned a surprised gaze right at Steve. 

“What?”

Steve, smiling and blushing, reached out to graze Bucky’s cheek. Instead of answering right away, he kissed him. Just as soft and gentle as his words. 

“I said,” Steve answered, “I love you.” 

Grinning from ear-to-ear, Bucky scooped Steve in for a kiss. “That’s…” He kissed him again, so long that Steve started giggling. “What I thought you said.” 

Now, he’s gone and probably just screwed everything up with his damn mouth. All because words came off his tongue before his damn brain had a chance to even catch up. 

“Bucky…” Steve starts to say. “I--”

“I’m sorry!” Bucky exclaims. “That was a stupid thing to say, I dunno what I was thinking, it didn’t mean anything, I _swear_.” 

Not that Bucky hasn’t thought it before. He has. In fact, Bucky’s been thinking about it for the past two years now. But saying the statement _when we’re married_ to Steve just when they’ve really solidified their relationship and are in a good place is probably the worst thing he could’ve done. Talk about bad timing.

Only now, instead of looking shocked, Steve looks at him like he’s confused. Baffled even. Bucky’s quick cover-up has seemed to’ve only made things worse. 

“I… don’t understand,” Steve says. “So, you _don’t_ want to get married?” 

“No, I… I do, it’s just…” Bucky pauses. “I just meant…”

His bumbling is getting him nowhere fast. Bucky shuts up and tries to organize his thoughts. A quick shake of his head to get them in place. That doesn’t do the trick though. Their finished meal is still on the table in front of them. Plates and wine glasses. A little less than half a bottle of wine. 

“You just meant _what_ , Bucky?” 

Hand passing over his face, Bucky sighs and hangs his head. Defeated. There’s no fixing this, he’s sure. 

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, Steve.” He groans little. “I know you’re not ready to hear that. Yes, I want to get married. But I shouldn’t’ve just assumed that we ever would.”

It’s quiet again. The night sits on a needlepoint waiting to regain its balance or to completely topple to the ground. Snowflakes hit the window, anxious to see what’s going to happen next. 

“Bucky,” Steve says. “Do you _want_ to marry me?” 

Stomach clenching, Bucky wonders if this is some sort of trap. Then he remembers that this is Steve Rogers and he’d never do something like that. 

“Of course, I do.” 

Steve sighs. Heavy. Almost disappointedly. Bucky’s ready to apologize for making things awkward. Nothing needs to change. This doesn’t mean that Steve needs to act differently or anything. If he doesn’t want to get married, that’s fine. Really, it’s okay. Bucky doesn’t _need_ to get married. He wants to. Very much so. But he’s not about to end things with Steve over it. 

After that heavy sigh, though, Steve picks up his wine glass and twirls around what’s left in it. There’s a cheeky smirk on his mouth when he goes to drink some. 

“Bucky Barnes,” he says, swapping glass for plate so he can bring it to the kitchen. “This has got to be the _worst_ proposal I’ve _ever_ heard.” 

Without another word, Steve sashays away from the table and goes to the kitchen, leaving Bucky stunned and speechless. It takes Bucky’s brain -- who’s acting rather annoying today, _thank you very much_ \-- another moment or two to catch up to his body and he finally hurries after Steve. 

In the kitchen, Steve has already placed his dish in the dishwasher and, even though they’re in Bucky’s place, has started to wash the few things left in the sink. Two pots are already in the drying board. 

“Wait, Steve, what does…” Steve hands him another pot even while Bucky’s in the middle of asking his question. A dish towel comes next. Bucky automatically starts drying. “What does that mean?”

“What does _what_ mean?”

Steve’s response comes out much too nonchalant and airy for it to be anything other than him trying to torment Bucky. It’s working, too. Very much so. His head is spinning. Or maybe that’s the room. Just a few minutes ago, Bucky had been sure the night was ready to explode all around him. Now, he’s tiptoeing around an entirely different situation. 

He puts the pot he’s been drying down and steers Steve away from the sink. Steve’s eyebrows raise as though he’s waiting for some lighthearted question when he damn well knows this is anything but. 

“I just…” Bucky thinks he needs to handle this delicately, but then, Steve is giving him a rather amused look. “Would you… say _yes_ if I asked you to marry me?” 

Lips twisting, Steve glances upward as if thinking hard on that before shrugging and leaning in to press a kiss right to Bucky’s unprepared and bewildered lips. 

“I don’t know,” he says lightly. “You haven’t asked me properly.” Steve kisses him again. “Good night, Bucky.” 

“What? No, wait! _Steve_!”

He doesn’t wait. Steve even chuckles as he lets himself out, leaving Bucky standing in the living room having no idea if he should really propose or not. All Bucky knows is that the idea of marrying him didn’t repulse Steve. That even after all the years of heartache and pain he caused, Steve might actually _want_ to marry him. Maybe it is really okay to let go of the past. Maybe Steve really has allowed him to place that patch right onto his trust and forgiven him. 

When this thought really has the chance to sink it, Bucky lights up like a sunrise. He takes a second to imagine it. Some grand gesture. Something worthy of Steve. Steve getting all misty-eyed and saying yes. _Yes_. To Bucky. Bucky giggles with the thought and puts off cleaning up dinner in favor of scooping up his phone. 

**Bucky: Help! 911! I need your advice!**

He paces back and forth for a few minutes as he waits for a response, hoping it’s not too late in the States for an answer to come in at all. It’s not. Just five minutes later, his phone is buzzing and his old assistant, Darcy Lewis, who long ago crossed the line from professional friend to personal friend, answers him. 

**Darcy: What’s up, Boss?**

**Bucky: I think Steve just said it was ok for me to propose to him**

**Darcy: WHAT? SPILL EVErYTHING!!**

So Bucky does. He tells her exactly how it happened. How he’d cooked for them that night and they’d enjoyed a lovely meal and when they were cleaning Bucky’s clumsy mouth went to make an innocent joke. Only that innocent joke included the phrase “when we’re married” as though it would be definite in the future. Then Steve’s vague comment before he left. Which now leaves Bucky’s mind and heart swirling in a desperate attempt to reconnect and figure out how to move forward. 

**Bucky: So… that’s all of it Darcy what do I do???**

**Darcy: you can try proposing???**

**Bucky: But… But how???**

**Darcy: omg Boss he’s YOUR BF!! YOU should know a thing or two about him!**

Chewing on his lip, Bucky bounces his knee and whines as he stares at that text for several minutes. She’s right. The thing is, he _does_ know Steve. He knows what he likes, what he loves, what he doesn’t. This is different, though. If Bucky’s asking for Steve’s hand in marriage, he wants it to be special. He _needs_ it to be something that Steve remembers forever. 

**Bucky: I think… I think I have an idea**

***

There are terribly beautiful places in Paris. So many of them in the city. Amazing, charming little places outside the city, too. Ever since moving to Paris, one spot has topped Steve’s list as being his favorite spot. That isn’t surprising. He’d barely been off the plane his first day here and he’d already bought a ticket to go. 

As an artist, even if Steve’s shy about his work and doesn’t show too many people, it isn’t any wonder that _The Louvre_ is Steve’s favorite place. He’s gone several times. Both one his own and even with Bucky. Bucky, for one, loves going there with him. No matter how often they go, Steve lights up at all the exhibits they go to see even if they look at some of the same ones they saw the last time. 

One thing they’ve never done, though, is taken an actual guided tour. They’ve never really had any need for such a thing. Even when first coming here, Steve was always much more interested in discovering things on his own rather than being guided through them. 

So, really, it shouldn’t be all that surprising, when, three weeks later, Steve is questioning why the hell they’re suddenly on their way to the Louvre for a _private_ guided tour. A two-hour tour just before sunset. Right on schedule. 

“I don’t know,” Bucky lies. “I just thought it’d be a nice change for once.”

“What would?” 

“To try something different.” Bucky smiles at Steve even though his insides are swollen with nerves. “It’ll be like having our own walking, talking Wikipedia.” 

Steve chuckles. “Okay. Let’s just hope they know a little more accuracy than Wikipedia.” 

The ambiance is unbelievably perfect as they arrive. Golden hues stream across the Parisian sky with the sound of the rushing Seine and a view stretching from the smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to the Arc de Triomphe d’Étoile at the top of the Champs Elysées. 

“Bucky?”

“What?!” Bucky clears his throat. “Um. I mean, yeah?” 

Already eyeing him strangely, Steve doesn’t go any further. He even crosses his arms, lips set in a straight, flat line. They haven’t even started their private tour yet. 

“Okay.” He sighs. “What’s going on? You’re acting all… _weird_.” 

“No, I’m not.” Yes, he is. For someone who knows how to play it cool in the office making multi- _billion_ dollar deals, he certainly can’t do that in the romance department. “Everything’s fine.” 

“Did you come here to break-up with me or something?” 

He’s teasing him. Bucky knows this because of the way Steve is smiling, but Bucky also doesn’t like the joke, not one bit, and makes this known by grimacing. Hard. 

“Okay,” Steve whispers. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean that.” 

“I know,” Bucky says. “I wouldn’t…” A hard lump presses at his throat. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Steve.”

Steve looks at him for a second, possibly seeing the same things Bucky does. An airport. Promises not kept. But this lasts only a second and is replaced with something new. Something brighter. New promises. Trust rebuilt. Love renewed. 

“Hey.” Steve cups the side of Bucky’s face. “I know that.” 

Bucky leans close and lightly skims the tip of his nose right across Steve’s. Makes Steve light up with this adorable grin. 

“I love you, Steve,” he whispers. “So much.” 

“I love you, too, Bucky.”

Grinning, Bucky gets in a quick kiss before sneaking his hands to Steve’s waist and really pulling him in close. Once he’s got Steve in his arms, Bucky starts pressing little puppy kisses all over his face. 

“Bucky!” Steve squeals. “What’re you doing!” 

Bucky chuckles. “Showin’ my man some loving. What’s it look like?” 

“Okay, okay!” Steve laughs. He pushes away but it’s hardly with any real force. “I get it, you love me!” 

Hands still holding Steve close, Bucky gets in one last kiss and then takes him by the hand to tug him along. They do have a schedule to keep. There’s even a photographer ready to take a photo of the big moment and then a few more to capture the evening for them as they walk across the Pont des Arts -- the lover’s bridge -- and along the Seine until they reach the restaurant Bucky’s made reservations at. A great place. Wonderful food. Amazing staff. Live opera throughout the meal. 

Bucky doesn’t say much as he and Steve take their private tour. He’s much too busy trying to run over his proposal. His head is full of so many words he’s sure they’re going to come out completely jumbled up and backward. Bucky just wants this to be so perfect. Right for Steve. 

The first place that comes up on their tour that makes the perfect spot for a proposal in front of the marble “Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kissed”. Makes sense, really. The piece of art complemented by the mythological love story would provide the most perfect and unique backdrop. Especially considering their own history. 

The second spot that would be good to do this is in front of I.M. Pei’s elegant glass-paneled pyramid at sunset. Bucky could just picture it. Kneeling in front of Steve with one of the most historical places in Paris. Another bit of symbolism, really. The juxtaposition of the classical palace with the modern pyramid reflected their past and future together.

Their past, no matter how ugly, is still theirs. It makes up a big part of who they are as a couple and how they can move onto a future together. One step at a time. Hand-in-hand. Bucky can handle that. As long as Steve is by his side. 

But Bucky skips both of these places in favor for one more private and intimate. Which is where they’re headed to now and probably why the butterflies in his stomach have tripled. He’s sweating so hard he’s probably dangerously close to dehydrated. Thank god he’s wearing a suit jacket otherwise, well, his deodorant is holding up pretty well, thank god. 

“Well,” Steve says as he loops his arm with Bucky’s. “I’ll admit it. That was nice. I guess I’m _not_ a total Louvre expert like I thought I was.” 

“Steven Rogers.” Bucky gasps, thankful for this chance to tease him. “Did you just admit you were _wrong_ about something?” 

Steve harrumphs. “Tastes awful in my mouth, too. Give me something sweeter to taste, will you?” 

Wiggling his eyebrows, Bucky gently coaxes Steve’s chin toward him so he can press his lips to his. 

“Gladly.” 

They’re almost there now. Walking across the cobblestoned courtyard to the center of the Louvre’s Cour Carrée, just past the ever-present street musicians through the arched walkway. 

When they get there, beneath statues of former French monarchs and mere steps from Pont des Arts, Bucky hops in front of Steve. He’s not sure why he does that exactly, but as soon as he does, he grabs him by the shoulders to keep him still. Their photographer is already there. Waiting. Bucky just needs to do this. 

“Steve!” Oh, great, now he’s shouting. “Um… I…” 

Steve chuckles. “Yeah?” 

“I just… I…” Just do it, Barnes. Liking ripping off a bandaid. No, that’s a horrible metaphor for a proposal, this is a good thing, not a painful thing. He takes in a deep breath. “I love you, Steve. So very much. And if you’d let me, I’d like to show the whole world.” 

Eyebrows pulling in, Steve tilts his head. “I love you, too. What is this, Bucky? What’re you--”

Before he can finish his question, Bucky drops to bended-knee and takes his hand in his. The photographer readies his camera. 

“Steven Grant Rogers, will you marry me?” 

Steve’s eyes go wide. His jaw even drops open as though this is the very last thing he’s expected to hear. He glances around.

“Is… is _that_ what this has been all about?” he asks. “You did all of this just to ask me to marry you?” 

“I, um.” Uh-oh. “Yes?”

“Wow.” Steve gets out an uneasy chuckle and scratches the back of his head. “This sure was something.” 

Still down on his knee, a hard lump forming in his throat because this is _not_ how he imagined things heading, Bucky tightens his grip on Steve’s hand. 

“Is… is that a… no?”

“I’m afraid so, babe.” Steve says this lightly and helps him back to his feet. Kisses him on the cheek and keeps smiling at him. “I’m sorry. You can… try again though. If you want.” 

Bucky’s shoulders fall. This wasn’t Steve just saying no to marrying him. This was Bucky not proposing to Steve properly. Steve is looking for something in particular. And Bucky hasn’t hit the nail on the head yet. But that’s okay. Bucky’s no quitter. 

“Okay.” He nods his head once, accepting this challenge. “I-I’ll get you. I’ll figure out what you want, I promise.” 

“Oh?” Steve snickers. “I’m counting on it.” 

***

Bucky waits until the start of spring to try again. He’s got to. Well, that’s exaggerating, but if he wants the gardens behind the Cathedrals of Notre Dame to be in bloom, spring it is. He’s also hoping that the lapse in time is long enough for Steve not to expect anything. 

They’ve been out a number of times since that first attempt as well and since he made no other proposals this should be like any other night that Bucky feels like spoiling Steve. Bucky says nothing about them dressing up this time. They just go on a random Thursday afternoon in April. 

“I haven’t been in the gardens before,” Steve admits when they get there. “This is so pretty.” 

Out in front of them, the petals of the light pink cherry blossoms spiral to the ground. Steve grins and takes Bucky by the hand to pull him over there. He looks up. Chuckles at the downpour of pink that tumbles all around them. Steve, letting go of Bucky’s hand, even turns around in a circle with his arms held out to the sides and his head tilted back. 

He looks adorable, surrounded by all the flowers, perfectly groomed within the gothic grounds. Under the watchful eyes of the stone gargoyles, they wander around some more. There are people around. Tourists. Locals. But, for the most part, it’s pretty private. 

“It’s nice here, isn’t it?” Bucky asks. “Romantic?” 

Steve smiles and looks back at the cathedral. “I just… I keep thinking of Victor Hugo. How he must’ve looked at this all the time and the inspiration he got from it. It’s all so incredible.” 

“It is,” Bucky agrees, and hopes this is a perfect time to do this. “Steve?” 

When Steve turns around, Bucky is already down on bended knee, holding his hand out for Steve’s. All the people around them have stopped to watch. They’re smiling. Most of them have placed their hands over their hearts. Only Steve doesn’t put his hand in Bucky’s. He simply nibbles on his lip and holds back a sheepish grin. 

“Oh no,” Bucky whines. “You’re gonna say no again, aren’t you?”

Sympathy flashes through Steve’s eyes as he holds out his hand to help Bucky back to his feet. Bucky can’t help the little pout, especially with all these people -- which isn’t all that many but it might as well be thousands -- here watching his marriage proposal being rejected. Steve pulls him into his arms and hugs him. 

“Not yet, babe,” he says. “Sorry.” 

A whimper catches in the back of Bucky’s throat. He buries his face between Steve’s neck and shoulder to breathe him in.

“This is humiliating,” he mumbles, pressing a kiss to Steve’s neck. “But I’m not embarrassed.” 

“No?”

People around them seem to be unsure of what exactly just happened. Obviously, someone just proposed, but they can’t tell if it was accepted or not, as the two start to stroll away hand-in-hand. Some of them look as though they might want to clap, but hold back, just in case. 

“No.” Bucky stands up straight. Determined. “I can do this. I’ll figure out what you want, just wait. I’m gonna blow your mind.” 

Steve chuckles. “Of course you will. The Winter Soldier of Wall Street can do anything, right?” 

“Mm.” Bucky shakes his head. “You’re a lot tougher than any multi-billion dollar corporation I ever had to deal with, Rogers.”

Steve laughs as they walk along the Seine. If Steve had said yes, they’d’ve had their own personal photographer again to take pictures of their special day. Instead, Bucky’s had to wave him off. Discreetly, though by the look on Steve’s face, he’s sure he was caught. 

“Gotta keep you on your toes, Mr. Barnes,” Steve says. “Can’t have you slacking off.” 

That, however, will never be the problem. Bucky won’t be slacking off, not now. Not ever. He’ll be giving Steve the most effort he’s ever given anything. Because that’s what Steve deserves.

***

The cool winds of autumn have just started replacing warm breezes of summer and Bucky has absolutely run out of ideas. Steve said no to his proposal at the Louvre. To his attempt at Notre Dame. To his try at Giverny. He even said no after Bucky put up a lock for them on the Pont des Arts. 

He’d been sure he had him at that one. When Steve saw the lock with their initials engraved on the back, his eyes sparkled and his lips betrayed any sense of nonchalance he may’ve wanted to keep. He must’ve stared at that lock for a good, solid minute before he cleared his throat, managed to get his smile in check, and finally looked at Bucky again with just the slightest shake of his head. 

Head falling, Bucky whined and smothered his face against Steve’s shoulder. He sighed and nearly admitted defeat. Bucky almost threw in the towel, ready to beg Steve to just tell him how to do this right. Only he couldn’t. Not when he noticed the slight flush to Steve’s face and that hand of his covering his mouth over and over again. 

“Oh,” Bucky cooed. “Look at you! I almost _had_ you, didn’t I?” 

Steve held back a laugh but when his gaze drifted to meet Bucky’s he couldn’t hold it back. He covered his face and laughed into his palms. 

“It’s not too late.” Bucky hoped that maybe if he dangled a little temptation in front of him it might work. “You can still change your answer.”

That made Steve blush even harder and he smothered a giggle between Bucky’s neck and shoulder when he wrapped an arm around his waist. But he still said nothing to counter that tiny shake of his head. The little bit of rejection of that proposal he could manage. 

Now, Bucky hasn’t a clue how to proceed with this. He’s done all he could think of to get Steve to say yes to him. He knows Steve deserves the world. He wants to give the world to him. But every time he offers, Steve says no. Bucky just wants him to know how much he loves him. He wants everyone to know that. 

They’re walking home from dinner tonight. Hand-in-hand. Steve is worth so much more than what’s about to happen, but Bucky just can’t help it. Right when Steve’s in the middle of talking about work, Bucky just blurts it out. 

“Please, marry me, Steve.” 

“And then we--what?” Steve snaps his mouth closed and blinks. “What’d you say?”

“Marry me,” Bucky murmurs. “Please, Steve. I know this is nothing fancy or anything like that, but I… I love you so much and I swear to you that I will spend the rest of our lives making you the happiest person in the world.”

He probably sounds so pitiful right now. Standing out here in the cold with no romantic atmosphere at all while asking Steve for his hand in marriage. At least the Eiffel Tower is nearby. They could always selfie with it to mark this humiliating occasion. 

“Now _that_ ,” Steve says with a smirk, “is a proposal.” 

Bucky is about to apologize. About to sigh and once again resign himself to the _no_ that Steve’s sure to’ve given him. Only, if he heard correctly, there wasn’t a ‘no’ in there at all. 

“Wait, what did you just say?”

That smirk on Steve’s face eases into an awed and wondrous smile. Tears even dance along his eyelashes. 

“Of course I’ll marry you, Bucky.” 

He snuggles against Bucky’s shoulder. Kisses him despite the dazed look on his face. Steve just said yes to him. 

“But… but I didn’t even…” Bucky shakes his head. “I didn’t even take you to dinner or… or anything…”

Steve grins and nuzzles closer. “All I want it _you_ , Bucky. All these years. The way I imagined it. All I’ve ever wanted was you.” 

Kissing the top of Steve’s head, Bucky tries to process everything. Yes? Him? _Years_? He must be getting something wrong. 

“I don’t understand,” he admits. “Years?” 

Steve sighs and pulls away with a nod of his head. He struggles a bit with saying whatever he wants to say next, but instead of saying anything, he simply sighs again and gets his wallet from his back pocket. There’s a soft smile on his face when he opens it and plucks something from within the folds of it. 

“This,” he says, “is the one thing I’ve had on me, always, since… well…” Steve squeezes his eyes closed and hands it to Bucky. “I just couldn’t part with it.”

What Steve hands to Bucky is a tiny photograph. A picture of the two of them. Bucky with his arms tossed around Steve and kissing his cheek while Steve nearly doubles over laughing. Bucky can remember taking this picture. Remembers squeezing into the photobooth together and trying to take at least one serious photo. Remembers how hard they laughed. Remembers giving up and pulling Steve close to kiss him because he just couldn’t get enough of him. This is the photo ripped of their film strip. 

“You’ve had this on you the whole time?” Bucky asks, softly.

“I couldn’t bear to part with it,” Steve murmurs. “No matter what had happened I just…” He nibbles on his lip. “I just wanted to keep a piece of you with me. It’s _you_ , Bucky. It's _always_ been you.”

Head hanging, Bucky sighs, realizing exactly what he’s done wrong this entire time. Steve never needed to be impressed. He didn’t need to be swept off his feet. The whole time, he just wanted Bucky. 

“Steve,” he says, taking his hands. “I have loved you from the moment I saw you telling off your History Professor.” Steve, holding onto tears, exhales a chuckle. “I’ve made mistakes. Horrible ones. I left you and I’ve--”

“Bucky,” Steve whispers. “No.”

“--done a lot of things wrong in my life, but that’s the only decision I’ve ever come to regret. Because I missed _eleven_ years with the only thing that ever _really_ mattered to me. You, Steve. You are the one thing I never even realized I couldn’t really live without. But if you’ll let me, I will spend the rest of my life making you the happiest person alive. Or, well, the _second_ happiest person. Will you really marry me?”

Unable to hold onto those tears any longer, Steve’s gazes sweeps down for a second. When he looks back up again, a single tear crawls down his cheek. He folds in a grin. Opens his mouth to reply but can only suck in a ragged breath. 

“Yes,” he finally manages to get out. “Yes, Bucky. Yes.”

“ _Really_?” Bucky can’t hold back his smiles. “Really, Steve? You’ll marry me?” 

“Just say when,” he answers. “And I’ll be there.” 

“You’re really…” Bucky can’t tell if he’s going to burst into tears or laughter but before either can happen he whoops loudly while throwing a hand up in the air. “You said yes! You want to… you’re gonna… we’re gonna…” He takes hold of Steve’s cheeks and plants a kiss. Jumps in the air and damn near shouts to the highest heaven in gratitude. Instead of that, Bucky shouts to the people nearby. “Everyone! Everyone, listen up!”

Steve’s face instantly turns red and he glances around with eyes wide and mouth open. He shakes his head but can’t seem to figure out what to do. 

“ _Bucky_ ,” he hisses. “What’re you--”

“This man right here,” Bucky shouts some more, pointing right to Steve with one finger while still holding his other hand. “This man and I are _getting married_! He said _yes_ to me! To _me_!” 

People around them _aww_ and _ahh_. Everyone even starts clapping and Bucky just can’t help himself. He hops up on the ledge they’re next to and starts singing at the top of his lungs. 

“Earth angels, earth angel!” People have stopped to watch and Steve’s face is bright red and still, Bucky doesn’t stop. He’ll sing to him every damn day for the rest of their lives. “Will you be _mine_? My darling dear, love you all the time!”

“Bucky!” Steve exclaims. “Get _down_ from there.”

Still singing, Bucky shakes his head and tugs on Steve’s arm so that he has to climb up there with him. 

“I’m just a _fool_ \--”

“Oh, you’re a fool all right.”

“A fool in _love_.” Bucky pulls him close and feathers a kiss to his lips. “A fool in love! With… _y-o-u_.” 

To save Steve from any further embarrassment, Bucky leaves it at just that first verse. A round of applause breaks out and he’s sure that people’ve been recording them with their phones. No doubt this will end up on Youtube, but to hell with it. Steve just said yes. Steve wants to marry him. Steve really loves him that much. 

“I am mortified,” Steve says, but there’s only affection to be found in his voice. “Completely and utterly.” 

“Well,” Bucky says, cupping the back of his neck to draw him in close again, “I’m in love.” 

Another blush fills Steve’s cheek. He shakes his head, big smile still on his face, and kisses Bucky, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“I love you, Bucky,” he replies. “So much. Thank you. Thank you so much for coming back to me.”

“I’ll never leave you again, Steve,” Bucky whispers. “I’m yours. I choose us. Forever.”

Steve presses their brows together. “To the end of the line, baby.”

This must be what magic feels like. Tingling through Bucky’s body like all the stars sparkling in the night sky. A comet flying bright across it. Filling Bucky with endless bliss. Steve said yes. They’re going to get married. 

The ledge they're on is only a few feet off the ground, but Bucky Barnes might as well be soaring over the whole world. 

With Steve by his side. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to check me out on tumblr for more fun at [thebestpersonherelovesbucky](http://thebestpersonherelovesbucky.tumblr.com/) or pillowfort at [thebestpersonherelovesbucky](https://www.pillowfort.io/thebestpersonherelovesbucky%22) or twitter [thebestpersonherelovesbucky](https://twitter.com/thebestpersonh1)


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